Slow and careful burn

The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Nicola Marter was born with a gift: when she touches an object, she sometimes glimpses those who have owned it before. When the gallery she works in receives a wooden carving she can see the object’s history and knows that it was named after the Firebird, the mythical bird that inspires an old Russian fairytale and was once owned by Russia’s famed Empress Catherine.

Nicola’s investigation into the Firebird’s origin draws her into the 1715 world of Anna Logan and leads her on a quest through Scotland, France and Russia, unearthing a tale of love and sacrifice, of courage and redemption.


Rate & take




This was a story within a story that unraveled at a beautiful pace revealing layer after layer of both stories. I could have happily lived much longer within its pages, but as I often need to remind myself, all things do come to an end.

I wish there had been more to the blurb above because there is so much more to this story than can be covered in a few sentences. If you need a long winters tale to see you through this frozen time of year, or if you just want to pass your time with some enjoyable reading this book is a really good choice.